Snow had suddenly started to fall in sheets faster than anything Ino had ever seen before. She was near her home and hurried up the stairs, fumbling with the keys before finally stepping inside and kicking snow off of her boots. December had finally rolled around in a slow and soft breeze and with it had brought these numerous and terrible blizzards. Some days, Ino had been stuck in her house for a week or more, completely covered in snow.
Ino had hardly had time to pull off her winter clothes before a harsh knock sounded at her door, causing her to turn and peer at it in confusion. Who could be visiting in this weather? She wondered. Nonetheless, she didn't want to keep anyone outside and she quickly returned to open it, peering outside. Kiba. Her breath caught in the back of her throat, and she could feel a blush rising into her cheeks.
Momentarily she simply stared at him. They hadn't spoken since the breakup, Ino had gone out of her way to avoid the Inuzuka and he had done the same to her, she assumed. He must have caught the stupefied look on her face, because he spoke before she got a chance to say anything. "My house is on the other side of the village, and I don't think I'll be able to make it there," he quickly said. Ino stared at him for a moment longer and then she quickly nodded, stepping back to allow him inside.
Her gaze never left him, and he looked around slowly. "Everything looks exactly the same," he told her, but Ino got the feeling that he was mostly speaking to himself. She slowly walked over to the coat rack and hung up her coat and scarf, before briefly glancing over at him. "I was going to put some coffee on. I imagine we'll be holed up for a while," she murmured, turning away from Kiba and drifting into the kitchen.
She felt conflicted. The terms of their breakup had been fairly disagreeable, they had fallen out of touch with each other afterwards, and Ino still held resent toward him. Still, there was something about seeing him and having him here in her kitchen. He followed her and she put water in the coffee maker, acutely aware of his gaze on her as she prepared the coffee. He came closer, leaning against the counter, and Ino could feel her hair standing up on the back of her neck. "Ino…" he started slowly, softly.
Glancing over at him again, the blonde haired nin didn't say anything. She gazed up at him, quiet, and her gaze wavering. "I'm sure the snow storm will be over soon," she replied quickly, before looking away.
. x .
They had been inside for hours, and the storm was still waging a battle against the town. She peeked outside, but couldn't make out anything at all. With a soft sigh, Ino quietly returned to the couch and crossed her legs, draping a blanket over her and picking up her fourth coffee of the evening. Kiba was on the other side of the couch at a respectable distance, nervously tapping his fingers on his knee. He'd left Akamaru at home and hadn't stopped fretting since he'd sat down, and nothing Ino had said had lowered his anxiety.
Her blue eyes slid over to him again, studying every detail of his face and then his posture. She was startled when he suddenly turned his head and caught her staring, and she could feel another blush seeping into her cheeks. He smiled that stupid crooked half-smile and she could feel butterflies erupt in her stomach.
Quickly looking away, she could see Kiba out of the corner of her eye, and he was continuing to stare at her. "We can't sit here in silence the entire time, Ino," she drawled.
"What would you like to talk about, then?" she asked him in a calmness that was reserved for him only.
She heard him chuckle. "We could talk about us," he offered, and Ino couldn't stop the sharp look that she threw his way.
"Okay, then let's talk about us," she began, leaning back against the couch and staring at him with her chin slightly lifted. "Perhaps we should begin with why you lead me on for so long. How about we begin with that?" she asked him, her tone ever so calm and unwavering.
He flinched, she noticed with triumph, but he didn't back down. No, she thought, he wouldn't.
"Ino…" he began, and she prepared herself for the onslaught of excuses. Instead, he shook his head and uncrossed his legs, a more serious demeanor taking over him. "You're right. I was young and stupid and I didn't know what I wanted, and I used you. I'm sorry," he told her.
She could feel the sincerity and it took her by surprise. Kiba had apologized to her multiple times since they had broken up, but this was the first time she believed him. Her eyes were downcast now, and he continued when he saw that she wasn't going to speak. "To speak honestly, I was on my way when the storm hit, that's why I was so close. I was coming to speak with you," Kiba confessed. Her eyes shot up to his own, surprised. He continued, "I miss you something terrible, Ino. It's all I've been thinking about. I want… I want another chance. I want to make things right between us, and I know what I want now, and that's you."
She would be lying if she said that his words didn't touch her. She believed him. After all, Kiba was a terrible liar. Ino glanced back down to her coffee cup, her hands wrapping around both sides. She wanted to be angry with him, she wanted to yell and scream at him, but Ino couldn't find it within herself to do so. Instead, she glanced back up at Kiba and then finally nodded, and that same crooked half-smile broke out on his tanned face.
Standing, Ino returned to the window and peered outside, her eyebrows raising in surprise. "The storm has ended." Almost immediately Kiba had taken Ino into his arms, turning her to face him. Without much warning, he leaned down and captured her lips with her own.