Theme Day [FIC]
Author: Ladelle
Rating: M - One Shot
Pairing: Naru-Kiba
Genre: Action, Humor
Summary: Interstellar bounty hunter Kiba gets more than he bargained for when he reports for duty--and gets Naruto instead.
Comments: SPACE PIRATES ftw
Most of them did not know his identity and could barely make out the embellished wolf on the back of his heavy leather jacket, fangs exposed and fur bristling. The ones who recognized the insignia stumbled into meek salutes, however, and Kiba Inuzuka nodded to them noncommittally as he strode forward, his knee-high black boots sounding harshly against the chalk white walkway.
Frowning, Kiba shook his head, sending his shaggy chestnut hair to his cheekbones and away from his eyes. From beside him, his beast matched his temperament. The four-foot tall hound at his side growled tersely, as if reading his master’s foul mood. A thick mane of white fur found its way to Kiba’s fingers, and the registered bounty hunter dutifully scratched behind the mutt’s ears.
“Sorry, boy,” Kiba sighed softly. “You know how I get when the confederation tries to make it a point that they own me.”
With his free hand, Kiba fished out a digital pad from his pocket, and hastily thumbed his password into the screen. The note resurfaced, freshly texted to him not a few hours beforehand.
Kiba Inuzuka to report at 0900 hours. Failure to show will result in a warrant under statute BG-E90.
“Fucking federation,” Kiba snorted, and jammed the device back into his jacket pocket.
As he approached the entranceway for the Department of Interstellar Conduct, he slapped his hand against an external palmreader and grimaced when he felt the heat from laser imprinting on his skin. When the doors started to slide open, motioned towards his hound and together, they entered.
Rushing forward through the crowded lobby, a buff security guard in white leather came to greet Kiba. The greeting soured when his eyes found Kiba’s mutt, and the man cleared his throat. “Article ten-dash-three of the-“
“-of the Erasation of Disease Carrying Mammals, blah blah. He’s a cybark, and I swear, if I’m late reporting to the head because you’ve got a problem with Akamaru, you’re taking it up with the higher-ups, not me.”
“He looks like a dog to me,” the guard said matter-of-factly, and Kiba wondered how well the confederation was doing if they hired idiots like this to perform security inspections.
Kiba frowned. “Look harder.”
Akamaru growled and glared up, and the moment their eyes met, the guard turned as pale as his skin-tight uniform. He took a step back and his hand immediately went to find his phaser. “T-that’s…”
Kiba rubbed Akamaru’s snout and admired his companion’s features. While one eye was a perfect and crystalline blue, the other was a series of silver rings that cradled a delicate red laser lens. Though the guard couldn’t see, Kiba was also aware that every piece of his pup’s bones and organs were manufactured.
“Who’d wanna kill a beautiful creature like this?” Kiba waved his hand about sarcastically. “That one’s easy. The city, of course, for fear of disease and all of that Erasation bullshit. The real question is who saves the poor canines out there, and that’s the part you should remember.”
Akamaru snapped his teeth together, making it very apparent that with steel jaws, it would take more than a bullet to take him down. Kiba turned to walk away from the gaping security guard, but not before glancing over his shoulder for effect. “You ever cross an Inuzuka, that’s what you’ve gotta deal with.”
The guard didn’t follow and Kiba heaved a sigh of relief. Akamaru stuck close to his side, and Kiba cursed when he caught sight of a digital clock that stated he was nearing on ten minutes late. He didn’t bother hastening his pace, but he worried over the potential consequences.
The door to the Head Commander’s office wasn’t too far down the main hallway and after rapping on it a couple of times and receiving no response, Kiba rolled his eyes.
“Well, I’m glad I got the memo,” he cursed, repeating what the text message had said in his head.
As he was about to go to the electronic concierge, a sound caught his attention. Akamaru sniffed at the doorway, a sign that he had heard it as well. Patience dwindling, Kiba input a passcode and let himself in.
And suddenly stopped and raised an eyebrow at the sight before him.
The commander’s desk was a bulky thing, with cyber pads and tablets strewn everywhere. There was a man rifling through them, and he paused as Kiba came to a standstill, brows raising over eyes the color of sun-licked glaciers.
“Uh…” Kiba started, somewhat distracted. “Are you the head of the Department of Insterstellar Conduct for this colony?”
Pulling straight from his crouch over the desk, the man looked down at himself, and then, smirking, sought to meet Kiba’s eyes for a second time. “You’re asking if I’m the head of dick?”
Kiba blinked as it took him a minute to get the joke. Akamaru skirted in front of him protectively, and before he could decide on a response, the man was laughing at his own humor.
“Heh. Dick. Makes you wonder who named this department.”
Kiba glanced to Akamaru, and the cybark met his expression with matching curiosity. When he looked back up, the man had stepped out from behind the desk and was approaching Kiba amiably, or amiably enough considering his smile looked absolutely feral.
They shook hands and Kiba couldn’t stop his eyes from roving the sight before him, from the knee-high leather boots that swallowed muscular calves and erupted with taught thighs suctioned by skin-tight leather, to the orange mesh shirt that revealed an expanse of foothilled abs and bronzed pectorals. A simple movement caused the man’s heavy leather jacket to cover the fleshy scenery, and Kiba started at the abruptness of the motion.
Warily, Kiba narrowed his eyes. “Well, are you? Because if you’re not, you’re wasting my time.”
The brain behind those blue eyes was thinking, and Kiba groaned. “Whatever. And just so you know, this-“ he motioned towards the stranger’s ensemble, “-is not following article twelve-dash-two of dress code policy.”
Akamaru had already started to leave when the man burst out with another surge of irrepressible laughter. He slapped his thigh and Kiba winced.
“Of course I’m the head of the Department of…the Department. Didn’t you hear? Today’s Theme Day. And the theme is dress like a space pirate!”
Kiba stared at the other man and examined his ensemble once more. Then he frowned. “Okay. I honestly don’t even want to know.” And he didn’t, considering this was proof that the Cofederation government was clearly loosing their minds. “I just came to report for my assignment.”
Akamaru rubbed against his leg warningly and Kiba sighed. “I know, I know. Why do we always get the weird ones?”
Akamaru continued to nudge against him, but Kiba resolved to ignore it in favor of getting his assignment and escaping the government building. The stranger was gazing between the two of them somewhat knowingly, and tugged some dried jerky from his leather jacket to feed to Akamaru.
“He’s a cybark, right?” the man asked, and Kiba nodded. Akamaru accepted the treaty after a few sniffs and a growl in his belly, and stopped trying to get Kiba’s attention.
“And he can find anyone or anything he’s given a scent for, right?”
“Among other things…”
The stranger clapped his hands together and Kiba took a step backwards, away from the enthusiasm. “Great! I think I know your assignment.” The commander stepped back a couple of paces and held up a finger. “We are looking for a man-“
“You think you know my assignment? And who is ‘we’?” Kiba ran a hand through his hair, drawing it away from his face once again.
“You and me. I’m Naruto. Who the hell are you again? Did you already tell me?”
Kiba stared. The ways of formal introduction had surely slipped since he had last been to this Department. He had only been on this particular colony for a few days in order to turn in a ruthless criminal who had been hiding out in the area.
“You summoned me here for an assignment and you don’t even know my name?” Kiba asked skeptically.
Naruto scoffed. “Obviously not if it’s Theme Day and I’m a space pirate.”
Akamaru whined and Kiba licked his lips before giving up on logic. “Right. My name is Kiba Inuzuka. Who’s the warrant out for?” He withdrew his cyber pad in preparation for uploadable data, but Naruto shook his head.
“No, no. No arresting. We’re looking for someone who has already been arrested. A certain Rock Lee. Ring any bells?” Naruto looked hopeful, and Kiba thought it was beyond odd that they were working off a name and not a prisoner number.
Shaking his head, Kiba said just that. Naruto rolled his eyes. “We don’t have a prisoner number. Come on, you’d know him if you saw him…skinny kid, green tightsuit, huge eyes, huge-er eyebrows, worst haircut known to mankind…”
The description meant nothing until Kiba remembered when he had dropped off his own prey a few days previous. He had overheard some talk about a completely eccentric prisoner that was going to be tried for piracy, and some jokes about where you could even buy spandex these days. Pacing towards the commander’s desk, Kiba yanked out a massive tablet from the bottom of the pile and skimmed the holding cell listings.
“He’s in C, and if he looks like what you said, I’m going to assume that they put him in solitary. Why do we need to know this?”
Naruto grinned like a Cheshire cat at the deduction, all before a completely predatory gleam soaked up his radiance. “Do you always question your commanders this much?”
Suddenly feeling very self conscious, Kiba straightened. “No..sir.”
“Good. Because one might think you were participating in Theme Day too, with that attitude of yours,” Naruto replied with an enticingly forbidden air to his tone.
With a precarious glare, Kiba proved that he had never been one for authority. “You can’t be a space pirate if you hunt them for a living,” he snapped curtly. “We should get going. I have things I’d rather be doing, if you don’t mind.”
Before waiting to gage the reaction on his superior’s face, Kiba spun on his heels and disappeared from the room, Akamaru waiting briefly for Naruto to take the initiative and follow.
Soon, all three were venturing the pristine hallways of Confederation Central, making their way to the keeping areas. There were few people stalking around, and the ones that took the time to notice Kiba cast even longer gazes at Naruto who was trailing quite languidly. His hands were pulled up behind his head and simply stared straight ahead, his lips pulled up in amusement.
“I hate these fucking things,” Kiba barked, placing his palm against another reader. The laser hummed against him, and he shook his hand free as soon as the reading was through. He hated the tickling sensation of laser heat against his skin.
As the door slid open, Naruto was chuckling. “Sensitive skin?”
Kiba waved a hand at an internal guard that looked incredulous about Kiba and Naruto’s arrival and spoke as he continued forward. “When you travel in muggy cargo holds enough, heat just loses its appeal. This is it. C is just around the corner.”
This seemed to stir something within Naruto, but before he could say what was on his mind, a loud voice snarled, “Oi, come by for another round?”
The voice caused Kiba to pause and he tossed a disinterested glance towards the cell beside him. It was the criminal he had hand delivered, still looking as unkempt and venomous as ever. Kiba could make out his expression despite the pleasant buzz of an emerald-hued electro-shielded doorway, and without much thought, he smirked headily.
“What, so I could tear your ass apart again?” Kiba’s expression soured. “No point, seeing as to how you’re already where I want you.” His hand movement implied that being behind bars was where the man belonged.
“W-why you-!” The man leapt up, but Kiba was already walking away.
Naruto came close enough to Kiba to peer over his shoulder, a sly grin cascading the width of his lips. “Now, when you say you ‘tore his ass apart’…”
Kiba’s nose scrunched and he turned to cast one of his most wicked glares at Naruto, but their sudden close proximity caught him off guard. They both stopped walking and he merely met Naruto’s gaze, wondering what type of commander would be so crude.
“Is the constant sex joke thing related to Theme Day or is this something I should get used to anytime I’m summoned for an assignment?” Kiba was beginning to feel a tickle of suspicion in the back of his gut, but it was focused on something he couldn’t name.
Unexpectedly, Naruto came forward, cradling his head in the dip of Kiba’s shoulder as his lips rose to meet the brunet’s earlobe. “It’s probably something you should get used to…”
Warm breath against cool skin made Kiba’s blood run cold as his senses determined something wasn’t right. Firm fingers found his waist and before he found the momentum to push Naruto away, his own phaser was digging into the soft space between the V of his ribs.
Feeling utterly ridiculous, Kiba sighed and raised his arms. “You’re not my commander, are you?”
Naruto returned the comment with a tilt of his head and an unmistakably powerful look. “Sorry. Space pirate,” he filled in. “And don’t worry. Fido will be fine in a few hours.”
Kiba snapped his attention to the side, having not noticed Akamaru’s lack of aggression towards the man jamming a shooter into his stomach. His hound was struggling to stand, and finally collapsed onto the tiles.
“What did you do?” Kiba tried to keep his voice level. His eyes were narrowed and he was livid.
Naruto pushed the phaser further into Kiba’s abdomen, causing him to take a step backwards. “You run into a lot of cyborgs in space; gotta know how to disable their metals.”
Kiba watched as Naruto tapped his jacket pocket with his free hand, the pouch where he kept the jerky he had given to Akamaru. Kiba had heard rumors of pirates lacing food with poisons, but never metal retardants.
They continued down the hall for a while, Kiba walking backwards, hands held up and his eyes narrowed with a blazing anger while Naruto drew circles on his belly with the heated tip of the ray gun. Kiba’s skin crawled at the sensation, but he only jumped when Naruto led the tip to the waistband of his pants, half threatening to continue southward before the hunger in his eyes was relieved due to something behind Kiba that he couldn’t see.
“Lee!”
There was a split second where all of Naruto’s attention seemed drawn away, and Kiba stole it. He stepped backwards and slammed Naruto’s wrist to the side, leading he gun away from his belly. A beam shot out in result of Naruto being taken by surprise, and hit a plexi-control screen, sending the room into absolute chaos.
The overhead fire-service sprinklers spurted to life and the high-pitched sirens wailed. The sensory doorways deactivated and thieves and murderers from all around the galaxy scrambled out, most of which bumbled around in search of an exit.
“Good job,” Naruto snickered as the pirate he had been searching for bounded out towards him. He looked just as Naruto had described only now, in their current conditions, he was sopping wet.
Rock Lee’s unbelievably thick eyebrows raised in surprise. “I see you pulled all the stops to rescue me from a certain death,” he commented, looking pleased. Naruto grinned. “Well, Sasuke said that we had-what the fuck?”
Kiba followed Naruto’s line of sight and nearly slipped as he rushed forward, watching worriedly as his former captive lurked near enough to Akamaru to cause some decent damage-if he knew how. He apparently did, be cause he was working hard on trying to find a way to short circuit the cybernetic dog, using nothing but his brute strength to find a seam of skin easy enough to tear open.
“The fuck you’re gonna do anything to him!” Kiba pulled out the only weapon he had left on him-a stunner-and didn’t think twice before slamming it against the man’s neck and activating it. The man shook for a minute before coughing blood, and then got to his feet, his attitude completely feral.
After cackling and spitting saliva onto the floor, he turned to face Kiba, who was now standing protectively in front of his pup, without a weapon. “I’m gonna kill you.”
The massive man raised a fist and Kiba was caught in the moment, stuck as everything seemed to happen in slow motion. He could feel beads of water making trails down his cheeks, getting caught in the sections of his hair that were plastered to his skin. He tasted the droplets on his lips and could hear his own heart beating with every breath he took.
There was no way in hell that man was getting past him.
A bright stroke of light made Kiba blink, and a second later, he felt something thick splatter onto him. When he looked down, he realized it was blood. In the distance, Naruto stood, laser gun pointed directly to the place where the man’s fist should have been.
The criminal howled and doubled over, and the security systems went to a higher alert. Kiba had learned about the upper alerts when he had first become registered, and for a second, his breath was stolen from him.
When the security systems calculated a potential mass break-out, they went into override, activating the holding cell’s preventative phasers to shoot for ten seconds at everything above a foot and a half on the ground. Glancing to Akamaru, Kiba knew he’d be fine.
Naruto, however…
The security stated five seconds were left, and Kiba could barely hear it over the commotion of all the prisoners attempting to break their way out. He rushed towards Naruto and Rock Lee and motioned for them to get down, and sadly, Lee was the only one who understood. He dropped to the ground like a spandex mat, while Naruto stared at him defensively.
“Get on the ground, you fucking moron!” Kiba hollered, and he slammed into Naruto, sending them both to the floor as the lasers exploded in fireworks throughout the room. He buried his head in Naruto’s chest, trying to keep himself as low as possible, but pain burst from his side as he was clipped. He choked in a sobbing breath and Naruto moved beneath him so that they were both low enough to avoid any more shots.
As soon as it had started, the firing frenzy ended.
“That was…” Rock Lee pushed himself up to his knees, and Naruto finished his sentence. “Really stupid. That’s the Fed’s idea of a cleanup if there’s a fucking break?”
However stupid it was, the room was deathly quiet. Except for Kiba who clutched his side and moaned, trying to pretend like he didn’t feel blood fighting to escape against his fingers.
“Ugh,” he glared at Naruto, who was sitting up next to him. “I hate you.”
Blue eyes looked minutely irritated. “That’s not a nice thing to say to the person who gets to decide if you live or die.”
“They’re gonna send security in,” Kiba said between pants. “So-“
Naruto wrapped his arm around Kiba and yanked him up. “Stop saving my ass,” he growled. “Not that I don’t appreciate it, but it’s making it increasingly difficult to decide what to do with you.”
Kiba’s lips clamped closed.
“The doors are open now,” Lee pointed, and he then gave Naruto a wry glance before eyeing Kiba. “What are my orders?”
Kiba’s eyes widened at the thought that Naruto had any sort of authority. With his unruly blond hair and sinister expression, Kiba could see it now moreso than before.
“Grab his dog and let’s get out of here.”
Lee didn’t need to be told twice. And what was more, he could lift Akamaru. Over his shoulders. Kiba wondered if he had ever heard of this crew before, because they were certainly more than what met the eye.
“I’m not going with you,” Kiba growled, though the fact he needed Naruto’s help to stay standing was enough to earn him a heated look.
Smirking, Naruto chuckled. “So what? They’re gonna know you got me down here and helped with his escape,” Naruto nudged towards Lee. “You think they’re really gonna let you go based on your word that you thought I was your dickhead?”
Kiba grimaced. “Head of D.I.C.”
“Like I said. Can you walk at all?”
Kiba could, but not without spilling his blood everywhere. Naruto rolled his eyes and leaned down, looping one of his arms behind Kiba’s knees before Kiba backed up a bit.
“Fuck no! You’re not carrying me around like that-“ he nearly doubled over as pain wretched through his gut. There were voices beyond the entryway doors and Naruto lost his patience.
“No time for pride,” he dictated, and struggled to scoop Kiba up so they could move out. “Now where do we go?”
“Depends on where you want to go,” Kiba flinched as he took a deep breath, in too much pain to fight.
Naruto thought hard for a second, obviously debating towards returning to his ship or seeking to amend other things beforehand. He growled as he came to a decision. “Empty room where we can hide.”
Kiba motioned with his head towards the rear of the cell block and Lee took off first, Akamaru clutched like a two hundred pound furry scarf around his shoulders. When they were back up to the main hallways, Naruto gave Kiba an inquisitive look.
“Where now?”
Kiba shrugged. “This is my first time here, too.”
“Way to be helpful,” Naruto snapped, but there wasn’t much venom behind it. Strangely, he seemed concerned. “Lee, try that one.”
Motioning towards a door on the right, Naruto moved to try one on their left. Before he had his finger to its coded handle, Lee hissed from across the hallway, “They’re password protected!”
Kiba sighed. “All confederation passwords are the same. Agh, put me down,” he scrambled a bit and Naruto reluctantly let him on his feet. “Not that I intend on telling you any more than that.”
He glanced down the hallways he knew led to the front entrance, and counted the number of doors before the one they stood in front of. It was a basic system, really. They were on colony three, floor one, and at door 12. Thus the code was 3112. He entered it and the security system beeped in approval, and within seconds, they were all safely tucked inside a pitch black conference room.
“It’s so dark,” Lee’s voice sounded, and Kiba heard the sound of Akamaru being settled onto the floor.
“Don’t turn on the lights,” Kiba coughed. “They monitor energy output.”
Within moments Naruto was against him, and was forcing him back against a wall. Before a wall met with his back, a table met Kiba’s thighs, and he cursed as he was jolted into a sitting position.
“Lee, go and get Sasuke. Tell him I’m cashing in that favor, and I’ll be doing it from the courtyard.”
Kiba didn’t think it was possible for Naruto to sound so serious.
“Right,” Rock Lee acknowledged. There was rustling as he made his way to the door, and then a spill of light revealed Lee’s grinning face. “Don’t be late.”
And then it was just Kiba and Naruto, alone in blackness.
“You got hit in a bad spot, Inuzuka,” Naruto worked to peel Kiba’s fingers away from the tear in his side, and the bounty hunter yowled as the numbed ache rebirthed in the form of needlepoint stings. “And you’ve lost a lot of blood.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Kiba cringed. Naruto pushed Kiba’s knees apart and came to stand between them in order to get a better angle to work with his injury. After a few minutes of fumbling with Kiba’s outerwear, Naruto finally started to tug it off.
“I can’t do anything with all this shit you’ve got on,” he grunted, and Kiba maneuvered as much as he could to help in the process of removing his leather jacket and tattered underarmor.
Kiba heard the fabric it the ground, and felt Naruto’s hands on his chest, deftly scoping his skin as a blind man would, in order to find the wound again. Kiba felt his skin fever beneath the movements, as if trying to predict where those fingers would go on their own, and willing them to go places that they didn’t.
“You’re hot,” Naruto mumbled, and Kiba was caught off guard. With his shirt and jacket gone, he could feel rivulets of water making trails down his chest as his damp hair struggled to dry, and he could feel Naruto’s fingers working against the wetness, sliding with practiced ease across his flesh.
Kiba lowered his head and frowned. “Um…thank you?”
There was a moment before Naruto laughed, and suddenly the blond pressed his forehead against Kiba’s, a motion only recognizable because their noses brushed. Kiba suddenly understood, but Naruto spoke to clarify anyway. “You have a fever. But so as not to damage your hard-earned pirate hunter ego, you’re pretty fucking hot, too.”
Kiba smiled despite himself. “Bounty hunter,” he corrected.
“Ex-bounty hunter,” Naruto stated, the tone of his voice a bit fevered itself. “…if I have any say in the matter.”
Leaning forward, Naruto slid his hand to the base of Kiba’s ass, pulling them in so that Kiba’s thighs were taut against Naruto’s, and so that their chests rubbed together with a blistering friction.
“Bite the collar of my coat,” Naruto instructed, and Kiba felt the leather material slide against his cheek as Naruto’s head rose to perch on top of his own.
The demand was strange and Kiba frowned. “Why?”
“Because stopping the blood is gonna hurt like a bitch,” Naruto was saying, and Kiba didn’t doubt his sincerity. “Now bite it.”
Kiba did as he was told, and he breathed a few nervous breaths through his nose. From the corner of his eye he saw Naruto retrieve something from his pocket, but only because it glowed a vibrant blue. Before he could question what it was, an excruciating pain made him cry out and gnaw Naruto’s collar for all it was worth.
The skin around his laceration was burning. Naruto was cauterizing it. Their bodies melded together and Kiba squirmed against Naruto, the feeling of the pirate’s cold leather jacket against his blazing skin feeling like a certain paradise amidst the pain. Kiba’s skin was crawling as he felt his flesh sear itself solid, and his fever became abhorrently apparent.
He whined through his teeth and wrapped his legs around Naruto’s thighs, pulling their hips together in a pleasant friction that was a welcomed distraction from the method of curing. Lips that could have only been Naruto’s sucked at his ear as Naruto’s free hand tugged Kiba’s head back by his hair, mixing the pain with a small dose of pleasure.
When his flesh had charred over, Kiba felt Naruto withdraw whatever device he had used, and slowly, his teeth released the jacket.
“Holy fuck,” Kiba felt sick as he smelled the aftermath of his burning, and he coughed. “What was that?”
Naruto chortled. “A brander. Comes in handy when you’re stealing merchandise and need to re-route shipping labels. Also when you get fucked up by phasers, apparently.”
“You used a branding iron on me?”
Those fingers found Kiba’s chest again, and this time, roamed for more self serving reasons. “I saved your life, didn’t I?”
Kiba didn’t know that for a fact, but he assumed it was true. He loosened the grip his thighs had around Naruto’s waist as he came back down to earth, the realm of overbearing pain and undeniable pleasure fading to nothing. Kiba frowned and his eyes dimmed. “I’m not a pirate.”
There was a moment that passed before Naruto’s fingers paused. “Yeah. You should be though.”
A pregnant silence stretched between them until Naruto sighed. “Our time’s up.”
Naruto moved towards the door, and snagged Kiba’s wrist along the way. The brunet tried to fight against it, but Naruto seemed one hundred times stronger after everything Kiba’s body had suffered through.
“Let go of me!” Kiba felt as though every movement made the skin on his stomach feel like butter spread too thin.
Leading him out into the main hallway, Naruto yanked him forward and tugged Kiba back against him, so that Kiba’s back was tight against Naruto’s chest. Naruto held him there, like a prisoner of war, his free hand jamming a phaser against Kiba’s throat.
“Naruto, let go of me!”
“Let a pretty little thing like you go?” Naruto rubbed the gun lovingly against Kiba’s cheek, and Kiba realized that the halls weren’t as empty as they had been before. There were guards scattered everywhere, most likely due to the break out, and at the moment, all of their attention was drawn towards Naruto and Kiba, and the scene Naruto was creating.
Making his way towards the front of the building in order to exit, Naruto was suddenly full of an equal amount of threat and humor. “Don’t doubt that I’ll kill him,” he said, eyeing the guards as he slipped outside. They looked at a loss as for what to do, seeing as how hostage situations were incredibly rare.
Naruto dragged Kiba outside, towards a grassy knoll area, keeping his attention focused on the guards. They were beacons of white, waiting for the right moment to release fire and take Naruto down, even if most of them had no idea who Kiba was. It was a good thing that protecting civilians was high on security’s list.
“Let me the fuck go,” Kiba snarled, tugging against Naruto’s arm and squirming in his hold. If he hadn’t felt like a rag doll, he would have tackled Naruto to the ground and punched the living daylight out of him. “I’m not going on your fucking ship. I can’t. Akamaru is here, and you’re a fucking pirate, and-“
“If I had a dollar for how many times I ask myself why you’re my second-in-command, I wouldn’t need to resort to piracy for money,” a voice emerged from the shadows of a fairly large spruce tree that hid them from the main building. The person it belonged to revealed himself immediately after, and Kiba nearly growled.
The person was a pirate perfected, with cream-colored skin, inky black hair spiked in all of he right places, piercings lining his left ear, and eyes that gleamed like their own solar systems below heavily lashed eyes. His demeanor spelled captain, loud and clear.
Naruto grinned. “Sasuke, it’s great to see you too. Oh gee, and it feels amazing to know that you care I’m still alive.”
“Shut it,” the man named Sasuke said, and he moved to stare at Kiba. “What the hell is this?”
Kiba spat at him, and Sasuke took a step to the side, missing the flying missile of spittle. His eyes narrowed and he snorted. “Charming.”
Naruto laughed and let Kiba go. The bounty hunter jogged forward and whipped around, prepared to fight, even if his body felt the need to collapse and sleep for days. Naruto merely smirked at him though, and Sasuke looked vaguely confused.
“Ciao, Inuzuka,” Naruto said, and turned to walk away, Sasuke following idly beside him, hands tucked into his pockets.
Kiba fell to his knees and panted. “Wait, what?”
Naruto turned his head. “Rule of Piracy, section one, part four. Always repay favors. You save my life, I save yours.”
Kiba raised an eyebrow as Sasuke started into a jog. He could hear the guards approaching, and so their escape was eminent.
Kiba gaped, and then let a slow smile come to his lips. Naruto had made him look like a hostage, in the end, so he wouldn’t have to face the consequences of his peers thinking he was an accessory.
Naruto turned around one last time and cupped his hands around his mouth.
“And Rule of Bounty Hunters. Never stop ‘til you find the one you’re charged with!”
With that, Naruto spun on is heels and took off after Sasuke, and Kiba let the dizziness overtake him and he passed out.
***
“So, Kiba Inuzuka. It’s been five weeks since the incident and everyone is quite satisfied with your recovery.” The Head of the Department of Interstellar Conduct nodded contentedly. “And I should also add that almost everyone thinks you are completely capable, considering you managed to cauterize your own wound, though there has been a little discussion as to what it is you used, seeing that the resulting mark is very…swirly…” the commander’s voice faded to a mumble.
From beside Kiba, Akamaru whimpered, and the bounty hunter scratched a tuft of fur on his head.
“In conclusion, we have reviewed your request and you have been approved. Good job, son. Your family will be very honored, and we wish you the best in this new assignment.”
Kiba saluted briefly before turning to leave, his hound close beside him. As soon as they were outside of the main building, he tugged his leather jacket tight around his shoulders and ran a hand through his hair, loosening some kinks.
“Thank you, Captain Dick,” he muttered before looking down to eye Akamaru.
“Don’t tell me you’re upset. I thought you’d be excited.”
The cybark whimpered again and Kiba rolled his eyes. “I’m telling you. You didn’t miss anything last time. Well, almost anything.” The last part made the hope in Akamaru’s good eye fade to disappointment.
“Oi,” Kiba said, and he crouched down. Akamaru paced over to him and sat on his hind legs, and they looked each other in the eye. “This is important to me.”
The mutt sighed, and Kiba revealed his palm-pad. “You remember his scent, right?” The picture on his digital display revealed a familiar face. The caption beneath it was his orders.
Kiba Inuzuka to pursue pirate E119, known as ‘Naruto’ and collect data from ship and crew. Arrest Rock Lee on sight. Failure to comply is not an option. Statute ten-dash-nine states that it is a Bounty Hunter’s sworn duty to the Confederation to-
“-never stop until you find the person you are assigned to.” Kiba concluded, and he rubbed Akamaru’s nose before standing. After putting his palm-pad back into his pocket, he started forward, and after a booming woof, Akamaru was right behind.
Rating: M - One Shot
Pairing: Naru-Kiba
Genre: Action, Humor
Summary: Interstellar bounty hunter Kiba gets more than he bargained for when he reports for duty--and gets Naruto instead.
Comments: SPACE PIRATES ftw
Most of them did not know his identity and could barely make out the embellished wolf on the back of his heavy leather jacket, fangs exposed and fur bristling. The ones who recognized the insignia stumbled into meek salutes, however, and Kiba Inuzuka nodded to them noncommittally as he strode forward, his knee-high black boots sounding harshly against the chalk white walkway.
Frowning, Kiba shook his head, sending his shaggy chestnut hair to his cheekbones and away from his eyes. From beside him, his beast matched his temperament. The four-foot tall hound at his side growled tersely, as if reading his master’s foul mood. A thick mane of white fur found its way to Kiba’s fingers, and the registered bounty hunter dutifully scratched behind the mutt’s ears.
“Sorry, boy,” Kiba sighed softly. “You know how I get when the confederation tries to make it a point that they own me.”
With his free hand, Kiba fished out a digital pad from his pocket, and hastily thumbed his password into the screen. The note resurfaced, freshly texted to him not a few hours beforehand.
Kiba Inuzuka to report at 0900 hours. Failure to show will result in a warrant under statute BG-E90.
“Fucking federation,” Kiba snorted, and jammed the device back into his jacket pocket.
As he approached the entranceway for the Department of Interstellar Conduct, he slapped his hand against an external palmreader and grimaced when he felt the heat from laser imprinting on his skin. When the doors started to slide open, motioned towards his hound and together, they entered.
Rushing forward through the crowded lobby, a buff security guard in white leather came to greet Kiba. The greeting soured when his eyes found Kiba’s mutt, and the man cleared his throat. “Article ten-dash-three of the-“
“-of the Erasation of Disease Carrying Mammals, blah blah. He’s a cybark, and I swear, if I’m late reporting to the head because you’ve got a problem with Akamaru, you’re taking it up with the higher-ups, not me.”
“He looks like a dog to me,” the guard said matter-of-factly, and Kiba wondered how well the confederation was doing if they hired idiots like this to perform security inspections.
Kiba frowned. “Look harder.”
Akamaru growled and glared up, and the moment their eyes met, the guard turned as pale as his skin-tight uniform. He took a step back and his hand immediately went to find his phaser. “T-that’s…”
Kiba rubbed Akamaru’s snout and admired his companion’s features. While one eye was a perfect and crystalline blue, the other was a series of silver rings that cradled a delicate red laser lens. Though the guard couldn’t see, Kiba was also aware that every piece of his pup’s bones and organs were manufactured.
“Who’d wanna kill a beautiful creature like this?” Kiba waved his hand about sarcastically. “That one’s easy. The city, of course, for fear of disease and all of that Erasation bullshit. The real question is who saves the poor canines out there, and that’s the part you should remember.”
Akamaru snapped his teeth together, making it very apparent that with steel jaws, it would take more than a bullet to take him down. Kiba turned to walk away from the gaping security guard, but not before glancing over his shoulder for effect. “You ever cross an Inuzuka, that’s what you’ve gotta deal with.”
The guard didn’t follow and Kiba heaved a sigh of relief. Akamaru stuck close to his side, and Kiba cursed when he caught sight of a digital clock that stated he was nearing on ten minutes late. He didn’t bother hastening his pace, but he worried over the potential consequences.
The door to the Head Commander’s office wasn’t too far down the main hallway and after rapping on it a couple of times and receiving no response, Kiba rolled his eyes.
“Well, I’m glad I got the memo,” he cursed, repeating what the text message had said in his head.
As he was about to go to the electronic concierge, a sound caught his attention. Akamaru sniffed at the doorway, a sign that he had heard it as well. Patience dwindling, Kiba input a passcode and let himself in.
And suddenly stopped and raised an eyebrow at the sight before him.
The commander’s desk was a bulky thing, with cyber pads and tablets strewn everywhere. There was a man rifling through them, and he paused as Kiba came to a standstill, brows raising over eyes the color of sun-licked glaciers.
“Uh…” Kiba started, somewhat distracted. “Are you the head of the Department of Insterstellar Conduct for this colony?”
Pulling straight from his crouch over the desk, the man looked down at himself, and then, smirking, sought to meet Kiba’s eyes for a second time. “You’re asking if I’m the head of dick?”
Kiba blinked as it took him a minute to get the joke. Akamaru skirted in front of him protectively, and before he could decide on a response, the man was laughing at his own humor.
“Heh. Dick. Makes you wonder who named this department.”
Kiba glanced to Akamaru, and the cybark met his expression with matching curiosity. When he looked back up, the man had stepped out from behind the desk and was approaching Kiba amiably, or amiably enough considering his smile looked absolutely feral.
They shook hands and Kiba couldn’t stop his eyes from roving the sight before him, from the knee-high leather boots that swallowed muscular calves and erupted with taught thighs suctioned by skin-tight leather, to the orange mesh shirt that revealed an expanse of foothilled abs and bronzed pectorals. A simple movement caused the man’s heavy leather jacket to cover the fleshy scenery, and Kiba started at the abruptness of the motion.
Warily, Kiba narrowed his eyes. “Well, are you? Because if you’re not, you’re wasting my time.”
The brain behind those blue eyes was thinking, and Kiba groaned. “Whatever. And just so you know, this-“ he motioned towards the stranger’s ensemble, “-is not following article twelve-dash-two of dress code policy.”
Akamaru had already started to leave when the man burst out with another surge of irrepressible laughter. He slapped his thigh and Kiba winced.
“Of course I’m the head of the Department of…the Department. Didn’t you hear? Today’s Theme Day. And the theme is dress like a space pirate!”
Kiba stared at the other man and examined his ensemble once more. Then he frowned. “Okay. I honestly don’t even want to know.” And he didn’t, considering this was proof that the Cofederation government was clearly loosing their minds. “I just came to report for my assignment.”
Akamaru rubbed against his leg warningly and Kiba sighed. “I know, I know. Why do we always get the weird ones?”
Akamaru continued to nudge against him, but Kiba resolved to ignore it in favor of getting his assignment and escaping the government building. The stranger was gazing between the two of them somewhat knowingly, and tugged some dried jerky from his leather jacket to feed to Akamaru.
“He’s a cybark, right?” the man asked, and Kiba nodded. Akamaru accepted the treaty after a few sniffs and a growl in his belly, and stopped trying to get Kiba’s attention.
“And he can find anyone or anything he’s given a scent for, right?”
“Among other things…”
The stranger clapped his hands together and Kiba took a step backwards, away from the enthusiasm. “Great! I think I know your assignment.” The commander stepped back a couple of paces and held up a finger. “We are looking for a man-“
“You think you know my assignment? And who is ‘we’?” Kiba ran a hand through his hair, drawing it away from his face once again.
“You and me. I’m Naruto. Who the hell are you again? Did you already tell me?”
Kiba stared. The ways of formal introduction had surely slipped since he had last been to this Department. He had only been on this particular colony for a few days in order to turn in a ruthless criminal who had been hiding out in the area.
“You summoned me here for an assignment and you don’t even know my name?” Kiba asked skeptically.
Naruto scoffed. “Obviously not if it’s Theme Day and I’m a space pirate.”
Akamaru whined and Kiba licked his lips before giving up on logic. “Right. My name is Kiba Inuzuka. Who’s the warrant out for?” He withdrew his cyber pad in preparation for uploadable data, but Naruto shook his head.
“No, no. No arresting. We’re looking for someone who has already been arrested. A certain Rock Lee. Ring any bells?” Naruto looked hopeful, and Kiba thought it was beyond odd that they were working off a name and not a prisoner number.
Shaking his head, Kiba said just that. Naruto rolled his eyes. “We don’t have a prisoner number. Come on, you’d know him if you saw him…skinny kid, green tightsuit, huge eyes, huge-er eyebrows, worst haircut known to mankind…”
The description meant nothing until Kiba remembered when he had dropped off his own prey a few days previous. He had overheard some talk about a completely eccentric prisoner that was going to be tried for piracy, and some jokes about where you could even buy spandex these days. Pacing towards the commander’s desk, Kiba yanked out a massive tablet from the bottom of the pile and skimmed the holding cell listings.
“He’s in C, and if he looks like what you said, I’m going to assume that they put him in solitary. Why do we need to know this?”
Naruto grinned like a Cheshire cat at the deduction, all before a completely predatory gleam soaked up his radiance. “Do you always question your commanders this much?”
Suddenly feeling very self conscious, Kiba straightened. “No..sir.”
“Good. Because one might think you were participating in Theme Day too, with that attitude of yours,” Naruto replied with an enticingly forbidden air to his tone.
With a precarious glare, Kiba proved that he had never been one for authority. “You can’t be a space pirate if you hunt them for a living,” he snapped curtly. “We should get going. I have things I’d rather be doing, if you don’t mind.”
Before waiting to gage the reaction on his superior’s face, Kiba spun on his heels and disappeared from the room, Akamaru waiting briefly for Naruto to take the initiative and follow.
Soon, all three were venturing the pristine hallways of Confederation Central, making their way to the keeping areas. There were few people stalking around, and the ones that took the time to notice Kiba cast even longer gazes at Naruto who was trailing quite languidly. His hands were pulled up behind his head and simply stared straight ahead, his lips pulled up in amusement.
“I hate these fucking things,” Kiba barked, placing his palm against another reader. The laser hummed against him, and he shook his hand free as soon as the reading was through. He hated the tickling sensation of laser heat against his skin.
As the door slid open, Naruto was chuckling. “Sensitive skin?”
Kiba waved a hand at an internal guard that looked incredulous about Kiba and Naruto’s arrival and spoke as he continued forward. “When you travel in muggy cargo holds enough, heat just loses its appeal. This is it. C is just around the corner.”
This seemed to stir something within Naruto, but before he could say what was on his mind, a loud voice snarled, “Oi, come by for another round?”
The voice caused Kiba to pause and he tossed a disinterested glance towards the cell beside him. It was the criminal he had hand delivered, still looking as unkempt and venomous as ever. Kiba could make out his expression despite the pleasant buzz of an emerald-hued electro-shielded doorway, and without much thought, he smirked headily.
“What, so I could tear your ass apart again?” Kiba’s expression soured. “No point, seeing as to how you’re already where I want you.” His hand movement implied that being behind bars was where the man belonged.
“W-why you-!” The man leapt up, but Kiba was already walking away.
Naruto came close enough to Kiba to peer over his shoulder, a sly grin cascading the width of his lips. “Now, when you say you ‘tore his ass apart’…”
Kiba’s nose scrunched and he turned to cast one of his most wicked glares at Naruto, but their sudden close proximity caught him off guard. They both stopped walking and he merely met Naruto’s gaze, wondering what type of commander would be so crude.
“Is the constant sex joke thing related to Theme Day or is this something I should get used to anytime I’m summoned for an assignment?” Kiba was beginning to feel a tickle of suspicion in the back of his gut, but it was focused on something he couldn’t name.
Unexpectedly, Naruto came forward, cradling his head in the dip of Kiba’s shoulder as his lips rose to meet the brunet’s earlobe. “It’s probably something you should get used to…”
Warm breath against cool skin made Kiba’s blood run cold as his senses determined something wasn’t right. Firm fingers found his waist and before he found the momentum to push Naruto away, his own phaser was digging into the soft space between the V of his ribs.
Feeling utterly ridiculous, Kiba sighed and raised his arms. “You’re not my commander, are you?”
Naruto returned the comment with a tilt of his head and an unmistakably powerful look. “Sorry. Space pirate,” he filled in. “And don’t worry. Fido will be fine in a few hours.”
Kiba snapped his attention to the side, having not noticed Akamaru’s lack of aggression towards the man jamming a shooter into his stomach. His hound was struggling to stand, and finally collapsed onto the tiles.
“What did you do?” Kiba tried to keep his voice level. His eyes were narrowed and he was livid.
Naruto pushed the phaser further into Kiba’s abdomen, causing him to take a step backwards. “You run into a lot of cyborgs in space; gotta know how to disable their metals.”
Kiba watched as Naruto tapped his jacket pocket with his free hand, the pouch where he kept the jerky he had given to Akamaru. Kiba had heard rumors of pirates lacing food with poisons, but never metal retardants.
They continued down the hall for a while, Kiba walking backwards, hands held up and his eyes narrowed with a blazing anger while Naruto drew circles on his belly with the heated tip of the ray gun. Kiba’s skin crawled at the sensation, but he only jumped when Naruto led the tip to the waistband of his pants, half threatening to continue southward before the hunger in his eyes was relieved due to something behind Kiba that he couldn’t see.
“Lee!”
There was a split second where all of Naruto’s attention seemed drawn away, and Kiba stole it. He stepped backwards and slammed Naruto’s wrist to the side, leading he gun away from his belly. A beam shot out in result of Naruto being taken by surprise, and hit a plexi-control screen, sending the room into absolute chaos.
The overhead fire-service sprinklers spurted to life and the high-pitched sirens wailed. The sensory doorways deactivated and thieves and murderers from all around the galaxy scrambled out, most of which bumbled around in search of an exit.
“Good job,” Naruto snickered as the pirate he had been searching for bounded out towards him. He looked just as Naruto had described only now, in their current conditions, he was sopping wet.
Rock Lee’s unbelievably thick eyebrows raised in surprise. “I see you pulled all the stops to rescue me from a certain death,” he commented, looking pleased. Naruto grinned. “Well, Sasuke said that we had-what the fuck?”
Kiba followed Naruto’s line of sight and nearly slipped as he rushed forward, watching worriedly as his former captive lurked near enough to Akamaru to cause some decent damage-if he knew how. He apparently did, be cause he was working hard on trying to find a way to short circuit the cybernetic dog, using nothing but his brute strength to find a seam of skin easy enough to tear open.
“The fuck you’re gonna do anything to him!” Kiba pulled out the only weapon he had left on him-a stunner-and didn’t think twice before slamming it against the man’s neck and activating it. The man shook for a minute before coughing blood, and then got to his feet, his attitude completely feral.
After cackling and spitting saliva onto the floor, he turned to face Kiba, who was now standing protectively in front of his pup, without a weapon. “I’m gonna kill you.”
The massive man raised a fist and Kiba was caught in the moment, stuck as everything seemed to happen in slow motion. He could feel beads of water making trails down his cheeks, getting caught in the sections of his hair that were plastered to his skin. He tasted the droplets on his lips and could hear his own heart beating with every breath he took.
There was no way in hell that man was getting past him.
A bright stroke of light made Kiba blink, and a second later, he felt something thick splatter onto him. When he looked down, he realized it was blood. In the distance, Naruto stood, laser gun pointed directly to the place where the man’s fist should have been.
The criminal howled and doubled over, and the security systems went to a higher alert. Kiba had learned about the upper alerts when he had first become registered, and for a second, his breath was stolen from him.
When the security systems calculated a potential mass break-out, they went into override, activating the holding cell’s preventative phasers to shoot for ten seconds at everything above a foot and a half on the ground. Glancing to Akamaru, Kiba knew he’d be fine.
Naruto, however…
The security stated five seconds were left, and Kiba could barely hear it over the commotion of all the prisoners attempting to break their way out. He rushed towards Naruto and Rock Lee and motioned for them to get down, and sadly, Lee was the only one who understood. He dropped to the ground like a spandex mat, while Naruto stared at him defensively.
“Get on the ground, you fucking moron!” Kiba hollered, and he slammed into Naruto, sending them both to the floor as the lasers exploded in fireworks throughout the room. He buried his head in Naruto’s chest, trying to keep himself as low as possible, but pain burst from his side as he was clipped. He choked in a sobbing breath and Naruto moved beneath him so that they were both low enough to avoid any more shots.
As soon as it had started, the firing frenzy ended.
“That was…” Rock Lee pushed himself up to his knees, and Naruto finished his sentence. “Really stupid. That’s the Fed’s idea of a cleanup if there’s a fucking break?”
However stupid it was, the room was deathly quiet. Except for Kiba who clutched his side and moaned, trying to pretend like he didn’t feel blood fighting to escape against his fingers.
“Ugh,” he glared at Naruto, who was sitting up next to him. “I hate you.”
Blue eyes looked minutely irritated. “That’s not a nice thing to say to the person who gets to decide if you live or die.”
“They’re gonna send security in,” Kiba said between pants. “So-“
Naruto wrapped his arm around Kiba and yanked him up. “Stop saving my ass,” he growled. “Not that I don’t appreciate it, but it’s making it increasingly difficult to decide what to do with you.”
Kiba’s lips clamped closed.
“The doors are open now,” Lee pointed, and he then gave Naruto a wry glance before eyeing Kiba. “What are my orders?”
Kiba’s eyes widened at the thought that Naruto had any sort of authority. With his unruly blond hair and sinister expression, Kiba could see it now moreso than before.
“Grab his dog and let’s get out of here.”
Lee didn’t need to be told twice. And what was more, he could lift Akamaru. Over his shoulders. Kiba wondered if he had ever heard of this crew before, because they were certainly more than what met the eye.
“I’m not going with you,” Kiba growled, though the fact he needed Naruto’s help to stay standing was enough to earn him a heated look.
Smirking, Naruto chuckled. “So what? They’re gonna know you got me down here and helped with his escape,” Naruto nudged towards Lee. “You think they’re really gonna let you go based on your word that you thought I was your dickhead?”
Kiba grimaced. “Head of D.I.C.”
“Like I said. Can you walk at all?”
Kiba could, but not without spilling his blood everywhere. Naruto rolled his eyes and leaned down, looping one of his arms behind Kiba’s knees before Kiba backed up a bit.
“Fuck no! You’re not carrying me around like that-“ he nearly doubled over as pain wretched through his gut. There were voices beyond the entryway doors and Naruto lost his patience.
“No time for pride,” he dictated, and struggled to scoop Kiba up so they could move out. “Now where do we go?”
“Depends on where you want to go,” Kiba flinched as he took a deep breath, in too much pain to fight.
Naruto thought hard for a second, obviously debating towards returning to his ship or seeking to amend other things beforehand. He growled as he came to a decision. “Empty room where we can hide.”
Kiba motioned with his head towards the rear of the cell block and Lee took off first, Akamaru clutched like a two hundred pound furry scarf around his shoulders. When they were back up to the main hallways, Naruto gave Kiba an inquisitive look.
“Where now?”
Kiba shrugged. “This is my first time here, too.”
“Way to be helpful,” Naruto snapped, but there wasn’t much venom behind it. Strangely, he seemed concerned. “Lee, try that one.”
Motioning towards a door on the right, Naruto moved to try one on their left. Before he had his finger to its coded handle, Lee hissed from across the hallway, “They’re password protected!”
Kiba sighed. “All confederation passwords are the same. Agh, put me down,” he scrambled a bit and Naruto reluctantly let him on his feet. “Not that I intend on telling you any more than that.”
He glanced down the hallways he knew led to the front entrance, and counted the number of doors before the one they stood in front of. It was a basic system, really. They were on colony three, floor one, and at door 12. Thus the code was 3112. He entered it and the security system beeped in approval, and within seconds, they were all safely tucked inside a pitch black conference room.
“It’s so dark,” Lee’s voice sounded, and Kiba heard the sound of Akamaru being settled onto the floor.
“Don’t turn on the lights,” Kiba coughed. “They monitor energy output.”
Within moments Naruto was against him, and was forcing him back against a wall. Before a wall met with his back, a table met Kiba’s thighs, and he cursed as he was jolted into a sitting position.
“Lee, go and get Sasuke. Tell him I’m cashing in that favor, and I’ll be doing it from the courtyard.”
Kiba didn’t think it was possible for Naruto to sound so serious.
“Right,” Rock Lee acknowledged. There was rustling as he made his way to the door, and then a spill of light revealed Lee’s grinning face. “Don’t be late.”
And then it was just Kiba and Naruto, alone in blackness.
“You got hit in a bad spot, Inuzuka,” Naruto worked to peel Kiba’s fingers away from the tear in his side, and the bounty hunter yowled as the numbed ache rebirthed in the form of needlepoint stings. “And you’ve lost a lot of blood.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Kiba cringed. Naruto pushed Kiba’s knees apart and came to stand between them in order to get a better angle to work with his injury. After a few minutes of fumbling with Kiba’s outerwear, Naruto finally started to tug it off.
“I can’t do anything with all this shit you’ve got on,” he grunted, and Kiba maneuvered as much as he could to help in the process of removing his leather jacket and tattered underarmor.
Kiba heard the fabric it the ground, and felt Naruto’s hands on his chest, deftly scoping his skin as a blind man would, in order to find the wound again. Kiba felt his skin fever beneath the movements, as if trying to predict where those fingers would go on their own, and willing them to go places that they didn’t.
“You’re hot,” Naruto mumbled, and Kiba was caught off guard. With his shirt and jacket gone, he could feel rivulets of water making trails down his chest as his damp hair struggled to dry, and he could feel Naruto’s fingers working against the wetness, sliding with practiced ease across his flesh.
Kiba lowered his head and frowned. “Um…thank you?”
There was a moment before Naruto laughed, and suddenly the blond pressed his forehead against Kiba’s, a motion only recognizable because their noses brushed. Kiba suddenly understood, but Naruto spoke to clarify anyway. “You have a fever. But so as not to damage your hard-earned pirate hunter ego, you’re pretty fucking hot, too.”
Kiba smiled despite himself. “Bounty hunter,” he corrected.
“Ex-bounty hunter,” Naruto stated, the tone of his voice a bit fevered itself. “…if I have any say in the matter.”
Leaning forward, Naruto slid his hand to the base of Kiba’s ass, pulling them in so that Kiba’s thighs were taut against Naruto’s, and so that their chests rubbed together with a blistering friction.
“Bite the collar of my coat,” Naruto instructed, and Kiba felt the leather material slide against his cheek as Naruto’s head rose to perch on top of his own.
The demand was strange and Kiba frowned. “Why?”
“Because stopping the blood is gonna hurt like a bitch,” Naruto was saying, and Kiba didn’t doubt his sincerity. “Now bite it.”
Kiba did as he was told, and he breathed a few nervous breaths through his nose. From the corner of his eye he saw Naruto retrieve something from his pocket, but only because it glowed a vibrant blue. Before he could question what it was, an excruciating pain made him cry out and gnaw Naruto’s collar for all it was worth.
The skin around his laceration was burning. Naruto was cauterizing it. Their bodies melded together and Kiba squirmed against Naruto, the feeling of the pirate’s cold leather jacket against his blazing skin feeling like a certain paradise amidst the pain. Kiba’s skin was crawling as he felt his flesh sear itself solid, and his fever became abhorrently apparent.
He whined through his teeth and wrapped his legs around Naruto’s thighs, pulling their hips together in a pleasant friction that was a welcomed distraction from the method of curing. Lips that could have only been Naruto’s sucked at his ear as Naruto’s free hand tugged Kiba’s head back by his hair, mixing the pain with a small dose of pleasure.
When his flesh had charred over, Kiba felt Naruto withdraw whatever device he had used, and slowly, his teeth released the jacket.
“Holy fuck,” Kiba felt sick as he smelled the aftermath of his burning, and he coughed. “What was that?”
Naruto chortled. “A brander. Comes in handy when you’re stealing merchandise and need to re-route shipping labels. Also when you get fucked up by phasers, apparently.”
“You used a branding iron on me?”
Those fingers found Kiba’s chest again, and this time, roamed for more self serving reasons. “I saved your life, didn’t I?”
Kiba didn’t know that for a fact, but he assumed it was true. He loosened the grip his thighs had around Naruto’s waist as he came back down to earth, the realm of overbearing pain and undeniable pleasure fading to nothing. Kiba frowned and his eyes dimmed. “I’m not a pirate.”
There was a moment that passed before Naruto’s fingers paused. “Yeah. You should be though.”
A pregnant silence stretched between them until Naruto sighed. “Our time’s up.”
Naruto moved towards the door, and snagged Kiba’s wrist along the way. The brunet tried to fight against it, but Naruto seemed one hundred times stronger after everything Kiba’s body had suffered through.
“Let go of me!” Kiba felt as though every movement made the skin on his stomach feel like butter spread too thin.
Leading him out into the main hallway, Naruto yanked him forward and tugged Kiba back against him, so that Kiba’s back was tight against Naruto’s chest. Naruto held him there, like a prisoner of war, his free hand jamming a phaser against Kiba’s throat.
“Naruto, let go of me!”
“Let a pretty little thing like you go?” Naruto rubbed the gun lovingly against Kiba’s cheek, and Kiba realized that the halls weren’t as empty as they had been before. There were guards scattered everywhere, most likely due to the break out, and at the moment, all of their attention was drawn towards Naruto and Kiba, and the scene Naruto was creating.
Making his way towards the front of the building in order to exit, Naruto was suddenly full of an equal amount of threat and humor. “Don’t doubt that I’ll kill him,” he said, eyeing the guards as he slipped outside. They looked at a loss as for what to do, seeing as how hostage situations were incredibly rare.
Naruto dragged Kiba outside, towards a grassy knoll area, keeping his attention focused on the guards. They were beacons of white, waiting for the right moment to release fire and take Naruto down, even if most of them had no idea who Kiba was. It was a good thing that protecting civilians was high on security’s list.
“Let me the fuck go,” Kiba snarled, tugging against Naruto’s arm and squirming in his hold. If he hadn’t felt like a rag doll, he would have tackled Naruto to the ground and punched the living daylight out of him. “I’m not going on your fucking ship. I can’t. Akamaru is here, and you’re a fucking pirate, and-“
“If I had a dollar for how many times I ask myself why you’re my second-in-command, I wouldn’t need to resort to piracy for money,” a voice emerged from the shadows of a fairly large spruce tree that hid them from the main building. The person it belonged to revealed himself immediately after, and Kiba nearly growled.
The person was a pirate perfected, with cream-colored skin, inky black hair spiked in all of he right places, piercings lining his left ear, and eyes that gleamed like their own solar systems below heavily lashed eyes. His demeanor spelled captain, loud and clear.
Naruto grinned. “Sasuke, it’s great to see you too. Oh gee, and it feels amazing to know that you care I’m still alive.”
“Shut it,” the man named Sasuke said, and he moved to stare at Kiba. “What the hell is this?”
Kiba spat at him, and Sasuke took a step to the side, missing the flying missile of spittle. His eyes narrowed and he snorted. “Charming.”
Naruto laughed and let Kiba go. The bounty hunter jogged forward and whipped around, prepared to fight, even if his body felt the need to collapse and sleep for days. Naruto merely smirked at him though, and Sasuke looked vaguely confused.
“Ciao, Inuzuka,” Naruto said, and turned to walk away, Sasuke following idly beside him, hands tucked into his pockets.
Kiba fell to his knees and panted. “Wait, what?”
Naruto turned his head. “Rule of Piracy, section one, part four. Always repay favors. You save my life, I save yours.”
Kiba raised an eyebrow as Sasuke started into a jog. He could hear the guards approaching, and so their escape was eminent.
Kiba gaped, and then let a slow smile come to his lips. Naruto had made him look like a hostage, in the end, so he wouldn’t have to face the consequences of his peers thinking he was an accessory.
Naruto turned around one last time and cupped his hands around his mouth.
“And Rule of Bounty Hunters. Never stop ‘til you find the one you’re charged with!”
With that, Naruto spun on is heels and took off after Sasuke, and Kiba let the dizziness overtake him and he passed out.
***
“So, Kiba Inuzuka. It’s been five weeks since the incident and everyone is quite satisfied with your recovery.” The Head of the Department of Interstellar Conduct nodded contentedly. “And I should also add that almost everyone thinks you are completely capable, considering you managed to cauterize your own wound, though there has been a little discussion as to what it is you used, seeing that the resulting mark is very…swirly…” the commander’s voice faded to a mumble.
From beside Kiba, Akamaru whimpered, and the bounty hunter scratched a tuft of fur on his head.
“In conclusion, we have reviewed your request and you have been approved. Good job, son. Your family will be very honored, and we wish you the best in this new assignment.”
Kiba saluted briefly before turning to leave, his hound close beside him. As soon as they were outside of the main building, he tugged his leather jacket tight around his shoulders and ran a hand through his hair, loosening some kinks.
“Thank you, Captain Dick,” he muttered before looking down to eye Akamaru.
“Don’t tell me you’re upset. I thought you’d be excited.”
The cybark whimpered again and Kiba rolled his eyes. “I’m telling you. You didn’t miss anything last time. Well, almost anything.” The last part made the hope in Akamaru’s good eye fade to disappointment.
“Oi,” Kiba said, and he crouched down. Akamaru paced over to him and sat on his hind legs, and they looked each other in the eye. “This is important to me.”
The mutt sighed, and Kiba revealed his palm-pad. “You remember his scent, right?” The picture on his digital display revealed a familiar face. The caption beneath it was his orders.
Kiba Inuzuka to pursue pirate E119, known as ‘Naruto’ and collect data from ship and crew. Arrest Rock Lee on sight. Failure to comply is not an option. Statute ten-dash-nine states that it is a Bounty Hunter’s sworn duty to the Confederation to-
“-never stop until you find the person you are assigned to.” Kiba concluded, and he rubbed Akamaru’s nose before standing. After putting his palm-pad back into his pocket, he started forward, and after a booming woof, Akamaru was right behind.