The gates of Konoha had seen a lot of travelers. Merchants, shinobi, the occasional missing-nin dragged back in chains. But today, they saw something that made the guards on duty do a double take.

A girl walked beside the legendary Toad Sage, Jiraiya, her steps easy and unhurried. Long hair caught the afternoon breeze like it had a mind of its own. She wasn't dressed like a kunoichi, not really. There was something different about her, a quiet kind of confidence that made people look twice.

Naruto was already three steps ahead, arms folded behind his head, chattering loudly about all the things he wanted to eat now that he was home. Jiraiya snorted at something he said, but his eyes kept drifting to the girl like a man trying to figure out how to introduce a hurricane to a village.

Kiba Inuzuka had just come from a mission. Dusty, tired, and halfway through an argument with Akamaru about whether they deserved barbecue or ramen. Then he saw her.

The argument died in his throat.

Akamaru let out a low whine, ears twitching, but Kiba didn't even hear it. His feet stopped working. His brain definitely stopped working. The most beautiful girl he'd ever seen was walking through the gates of Konoha like she'd always belonged there.

Then Naruto spotted him.

Naruto's voice cut through the midday noise like a kunai, loud and sunny and impossible to ignore. He jogged over, dragging the girl's attention with him. Her gaze followed Naruto, and for one brief, terrible, wonderful second, it landed on Kiba.

Kiba felt his entire face go red.

Akamaru barked once, sharp and judgmental.