A/N: My first attempt in writing about Kiba and Hinata! Wish me luck and enjoy.
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Shooting Star
Even when as we grow older
and start to take different paths
You won't ever have to feel alone
Because these are the types of bonds
That never fade away
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Tonight was their last night together in Konoha, and none of them could think of a better place to be at the moment than to be with the company of friends. The night air was clean, and the streets lights dimmed so that the evening stars were no longer hindered. It brought back memories of their earlier days, though it was to say that it did not happen so long ago.
Training under the moon, or suffering in the depths of the eerie forest, they never were able to get through it on their own. In the end, it really narrowed down to the lack of appreciation they held for each other, especially with Kiba and Shino.
But tonight was different. Tonight would be much different than the rest of the nights spent together, because it was their last night, and that's what made it so special. Casting aside all of their unmemorable moments was what this night was about.
Akamaru climbed out of Kiba's warm jacket and into the crisp coldness, where he came up to Hinata's hand and gently licked her fingers.
She cast a surprised glance at the tiny dog. "A-akamaru!"
Kiba smiled wryly. "He'll miss you too." Akamaru barked in agreement.
A sad smile came across Hinata's face, and Kiba noticed it too. Akamaru whimpered, setting himself down in between Hinata and Shino. The bug user attempted to console the pup by stroking its mussed up fur, something he did not do often and was not very fond of doing.
A period of silence overcame the three shinobi. All were at a loss for words. Goodbyes didn't come too easily, whether they liked to admit it or not.
Hinata attempted to break the stillness. "I…I –"
"I didn't expect this to be so damn hard!" Kiba gritted his teeth, trying to avoid the eyes of his teammates.
"You're making it harder than it seems, Kiba." Shino rose from his spot on the grass. "Perhaps it would be easier if I left you two in peace."
Kiba hastily scurried after him, grabbing his wrist before he disappeared into the night. "What the hell are you trying to set up?" he whispered loudly.
Shino shook off Kiba's grip. "Kiba."
He raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"Go to her. This may be the last time we shall speak together."
He shook his head. "I don't get where this is going…"
"I'll be heading back into the village. When I come back, I will assume that you have told her. This is your chance. Don't screw it up." Shino leapt into the darkness of the night and left the two of them alone.
Hinata twiddled her fingers nervously as she always did when she was put in awkward situations. "What did Shino-kun say?"
Kiba clenched his fist tightly. He didn't want her to know that Shino had found out his most deepest, darkest secret. It wasn't necessarily dark, but for someone as dense as himself, admitting his feelings would be horrifying. He wouldn't let her know. Not yet.
"Kiba-kun?"
He snapped out of his trance. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Shino went to get something in the village. He… said he'd be coming back later." He took a seat next to her and lay back on the cold ground. His arms came back behind his head, resting in a peaceful manner.
Hinata looked down, trying hard to hide her disappointment. She had been looking forward to their time together, though it would have been selfish to ask for it. She always caused trouble for them, and in the end, all she could was get in the way. This is what ended up happening every single time. Why wouldn't things change?
"Kiba-kun." She turned to him, her voice wavering while clenching her fist to her chest. "I-I'm sorry. I've always been in the way. During missions, in training… everything. In the end…I'm not too useful, am I? I'm really sorry."
A puzzled look came across his face. "What the hell are you talking about?" He paused and closed his eyes for a few seconds, his voice deepening. "You're…you're always so modest, Hinata. Sometimes, I can't tell if that's just who you are, or if you're telling the truth. Just…try to be yourself, will you?"
"Y-yes sir!" She replied attentively.
He smirked. "Tch, you make it sound like boot camp."
"I-I'm sorry…"
"Hey, hey, there you go again, with your apologizing. It's ok." A tint of seriousness arose in his voice. "Tonight is…our last night. Heh, it doesn't seem too much like what I had imagined, but anything is fine with me."
Hinata lay down beside her teammate; Akamaru curled in ball close by. "Shino leaving with his father for a mission in another country and you and Akamaru are going after Sasuke." She allowed her eyes to close and wander off into her own world. "Where…does that leave me?"
"You're staying here. It's where you belong."
"But," she interjected, "You and Shino-kun belong here too. Kiba-kun, sometimes I…I feel as if I don't belong here. Compared to you two, I'm so weak. And when I look at Neji nii-san and Naruto-kun, I always feel so… feeble. I'm not worthy enough to go on many of our missions, and because of that, I feel guilty."
Kiba turned on his side to meet Hinata's gaze. "Hinata, whether we know it or not, people belong to one place or another. Yeah, I know; it's seems to take forever to find that place - a place where people will accept you for who you are. But there's something that we keep overlooking. It's something we take for granted, I think."
She turned on her side, her head resting on one of her bent arms. "What…is it?"
"The place where we belong…it's with each other. Together, we've formed a team, a family." A twisted smile appeared on his face. "Just listen to me, I sound so cheesy."
Hinata frantically shook her head. "N-no, Kiba-kun. You're…you're right. We belong…with each other. Here, in Konoha. So then that's why…" she pointed to the jewel embedded sky, "I entrust my hope on a shooting star. That way, I know the both of you will come back safe. Whenever you feel lonely, Kiba-kun, just look up to the sky. I'll…watch over you, too. Just like how the both of you have been watching over me all this time."
He smiled, wiping away the mist in his eyes. "Yeah. I'm always with you, Hinata."
All of a sudden, the sky began to emit flashing colors of the rainbow, twinkling brighter than fireworks. The both of them glanced up to witness the rare occasion of a meteor shower, to their surprise. Like magic dust, the debris it left behind feel like sparkling snow, whispering in their ear. Make a wish. Make a wish.
Kiba averted his gaze toward Hinata. Her pale eyes always seemed so hollow by day, but they glowed by night, reflecting celestial radiance. He never really noticed it until today, but watching her now, it saddened him. Tonight might be his only chance – his last chance: His last chance to tell her how he truly felt.
He hesitantly reached for her hand, afraid that she might pull away. Akamaru sat impatiently, wagging his tail furiously. "Don't rush me, Akamaru." His inner voice tried to tell him.
Then, he felt a something warm meet with his hand. When he looked to see what it was, Hinata smiled at him. It was her hand.
"Um, K-Kiba-kun, let's make a wish!" She felt the blood rushing to her face. Good thing it was nighttime. It would have been embarrassing for anyone to see.
He nodded in agreement. "Sure."
A moment of silence was passed, and the only noises that were heard came from the natural occurrences of nature. The chirping of the cicadas, the rush of the stars and the whisper of the wind were among those sounds. The disturbances disrupted their thinking, but it didn't matter. Peace was found through the comfort of each other.
Once the time had passed, Hinata brought herself to ask, "Kiba-kun, what did you wish for?"
He simply shook his head. "Well-"
Suddenly, a loud popping noise resonated from behind the sitting shinobi and kunoichi, causing them to jump in fright. Akamaru yapped loudly, and Hinata ended up squeezing onto Kiba's hand even tighter.
Kiba covered his ears with his free hand. "What the hell! Shino? Is that you?"
"Yes, that would be correct." He held up a sparkler in his hand, still ignited and wildly flashing. "I went into town to buy some of these."
Hinata began to laugh softly to herself before Kiba began to howl with laughter of his own. A thin smile was hidden by Shino's large collar. Even Akamaru pranced around joyfully, looking as if he wanted to try handling a sparkler of his own.
"This feeling…it feels like home. I don't want to leave this place – the place where we belong."
"Shino-kun, may I try?" A sparkler was handed to her and soon enough, the long silence was broken by the sound of joyful laughter. A mixture of the sporadic light coming from the rush of shooting stars and the glowing ember of the sparklers created a magical atmosphere. The glowing ambiance lit up the night like fireflies in an open field.
"I guess all good things have to come to an end, don't they?"
"Kiba-kun!" The kunoichi held up an unlit sparkler. "Would you like to try one?"
"But I'm not giving up. Not yet."
He smiled, nodding his head in approval. "Of course. Hey, Akamaru, come over here! We gotta put this thing into action!"
"Just don't burn yourself, Kiba."
"Shut up! Gimme a break, it's my first time using a sparkler." Kiba retorted.
Hinata shyly approached a different subject. "Um, Kiba-kun? What did you wish for on the shooting star?"
An impish grin came across his face, his eyes playfully glittering. "A wish doesn't come true if you tell it!"
She looked down in embarrassment. "Oh, yes you're right. I'm sorry."
"This won't ever change. We won't change. I just know it."
"Hey, hey, enough of the apologizing already! Didn't I tell you to stop that?"
"Kiba," Shino started, "I don't think that will ever change, no matter how many times you bring up the subject."
"Hmph. Just give it time. Hey, Hinata," Kiba softened his voice. "When we come back, be sure to fix that habit of yours, got that? And…whenever you get lonely, just look up to the sky. We can see the same stars from no matter where we are. Think about as a way for the three of us to keep in contact."
"Yes, I understand."
Shino approached the Inuzuka. "Kiba? Did you tell her yet? What exactly happened while I was gone?"
The glimmer of the stars danced in his eyes. "I wished to become a shooting star."
"That way, whenever you feel lonely, you would look up to the sky. The very first thing you'll see – is me.