Hinata sat with her back against the tall, old oak tree, watching the sunset. Her eyes stung and her cheeks were stained with the tears she had cried just moments ago, and her shoulders shook. It had been so long since she had cried like that; she had tried so hard to be strong, but she couldn't contain herself this time. She had to let it out, even when no one was around. She just hoped no one would find her here, like this.
The events of that day weren't something she would speak of with anyone else, but the memories flooding her mind were merging with the bold colors of the sunset, replaying the pictures right before her eyes; a cold reminder of what had happened, and she felt like she needed to talk to someone. Anyone. Anyone but him, of course.
Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, had she not tried to take a chance like that. Or maybe it was just her. The way she acted, her shyness... She knew, really, that Sakura was the only one lucky enough to have a place in Naruto's heart, but she thought if just this once... If she just hoped for the best and let it out, it might have worked, but she was wrong.
Thinking about all this at the same time, the tears began to fill Hinata's eyes again, and she tried desperately to blink them back. She brushed her bangs from her face, revealing her pale skin in the bright light of the sunset. It was truly beautiful. Stunning. The light made the tears sparkle in her eyes, and it reflected off of the silver plate on the headband around her neck.
"Hinata, what are you doing up here so late?" The ninja jumped slightly at the sound of Kiba's voice, still lost in her own thoughts. Kiba climbed the ledge leading to the oak, and, upon nearing his teammate, noticed the glittering tears in her eyes that she desperately tried to hide. "Hinata? What happened?" He asked her in alarm. He pulled down his hood, and Akamaru jumped off his head. The ninja dog sniffed worriedly at Hinata's knee. Hinata, too flustered to speak, rubbed at her eyes. "Hinata!"
At this, Hinata looked into his eyes, and he could clearly see the sadness there. He had never seen her like this before; she had always tried so hard to be strong, and after all this, it seemed so unlike her. His eyes widened as the casual tone slipped silently from the atmosphere. The sky was beginning to darken, and Hinata was having an even harder time holding back the tears.
"Kiba..." Hinata blinked. "Kiba, why are you here...?"
Her teammate ignored her question, moving closer to her. "Hinata, what happened? How did you get like this?"
"Na... Naruto..." She couldn't seem to get the words out as the sadness began to close off her throat and it was all she could do to keep from bursting out in tears. "He... he..."
"He did something to you?" Kiba's eyes widened even more, as his expression turned from one of compassion to one of sheer fury. What is this...? Why was he this worried about her? He had never been this way before, but then again, nothing like this had ever happened to her before.
"Kiba, I don't know what to do... I..." She was cut off as Kiba's hands gripped her shoulders. He looked into her eyes as he began to speak, his expression still serious, but the anger beginning to fade. The compassion began to return, but something else accompanied it as his eyes narrowed. Something...
"Hinata, I don't know how you feel about Naruto, but I..." He looked away before continuing, blushing slightly. "I hope you know that I'm always there if you ever need my help." His grip released as he turned away from her, seeming embarrassed; something Hinata had never seen from him before. She thought about Naruto, his smiling face, his big, blue eyes... But something about her thoughts didn't seem the same. After remembering his rejection towards her earlier, her thoughts had become plagued by the new part of Naruto she had never seen. His usual cheeriness had been replaced with the expression he had given her when he told her that he only had eyes for Sakura. He had turned away, not being able to look her in the eyes. But sitting here with Kiba, she had begun to see a new side of him, as well, that she had never realized existed until now. This soft, caring side of her teammate that he had only shown to her. This, somehow, comforted her.
"Hinata, are you still listening?" Kiba asked her softly.
"I am." She looked back at him, and seeing how red his face was after such an announcement, she smiled. This was her teammate, her dog-loving friend, and a close companion to her whenever she needed a helping hand. He was truly important to her, but she didn't know exactly how important she was to him.
Kiba took a long breath. "Good." He ran his fingers through his unruly hair, looking up at the slowly darkening sky, seeming to ask the stars glittering above what to say. "I need to ask you something," he said finally. He looked back at her. "Do you... Do you really love Naruto?" His question caught Hinata off guard, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.
"I..." She started to answer, but she didn't know what to say. Her mind and heart were battling, not knowing what was real. She had been telling herself for so long that she loved Naruto, and if Kiba had asked her this yesterday, or even a few hours ago, there would have been no hesitation in her answer. But there seemed to be a whole other side of Naruto that she had never seen before, and she knew that she never wanted to see that kind of expression on his face ever again, whether it was towards her, or someone else. She realized that she always wanted to see him happy, and never upset or angry. Somehow, she knew that this couldn't happen if she was with him all the time. She only wished to be with him when he was his usual, cheery self, and she knew that with these feelings she wouldn't be able to comfort him if he was ever upset. Although it had been years since she had begun loving Naruto, her mind had been changed all in a few hours.
"I don't think I do." Hinata answered finally, a hint of surprise at her own words in her voice. A glimmer of hope lit up Kiba's face, although Hinata couldn't begin to guess why.
"I always thought that it would end eventually. He really isn't the type of guy that someone as perfect as you, Hinata..." The words had already escaped his mouth before he could stop them. He couldn't help himself. He really loved her, but he wasn't sure if Hinata knew that yet, much less if she felt the same way. He felt his face heat up as he looked down at the ground. Akamaru seemed to laugh at him, knowing that the secret he had kept for so long had, in a sense, been exposed in such a way. Kiba shot a warning glance in the dog's direction. He couldn't look at Hinata, fearing her surprised expression.
Why did he always feel this way when he was around her? He was always arrogant and carefree whenever he was around others, but when he was alone with Hinata, he was always flustered and unable to speak or think clearly. It was just something about the girl that set him off in a daze, whether it be when he was helping her with her training, or comforting her at night on top of a moonlit hill. He didn't think that she had ever realized it before, but, stealing a glance at Hinata's face, he knew that she definitely could tell now. But, as he looked back up at her again, she didn't look surprised or amazed, but she was blushing madly.
"Kiba... Y... You really think that...?" She looked down at the ground in front of her. "I... I mean, you've never spoken to me so kindly before... and..."
She's doing it... Kiba realized with a start. The blushing, no eye contact, everything... She was acting the same way she always did around Naruto. She was embarrassed by his words, that was easy to see, but did she really... He didn't think she did, but he hoped he was wrong, which he seemed to be fairly often. "I've always thought that..." His words trailed off. I love you. It was so hard to say. It was so simple, yet...
"Kiba, you're such a great friend to me," she told him. The sky was black now, only the stars and the moon lighting up the night, but Hinata could still see the confusing emotion in Kiba's expression as he turned towards her.
"But Hinata, I... What I want to be..." The girl stared back at him in amazement, not knowing, but wondering, what he was about to say. "I want to be more than that." His voice was barely above a whisper, but Hinata still heard the words he had been dying to say for many years, but had never dared.
"What...?" She was cut off as Kiba's arms encircled her, pulling her close. The warmth of his body against hers, and all the days of standing behind her, helping her become stronger, and watching as she stumbled her way around her first love without getting hurt. He had been there to catch her every time, although she had never noticed. Kiba had always been around when Naruto wasn't, helping her succeed...
Hinata didn't pull away. As Kiba's arms tightened around her, she buried her face in the soft fur of his hood, and returned the embrace. Kiba could have sat there forever, the girl of his dreams in his arms, but he knew he couldn't. He pulled away reluctantly, looking down on her with soft eyes. "Hinata, I... I'm sorry."
"For what?" She couldn't imagine what he could be apologizing for; she was the one who needed to apologize to him for always having her eyes on Naruto, never noticing that Kiba was always there for her when the blonde ninja wasn't.
"I acted without thinking." He looked away. "I took advantage of you this way while you were hurt. I shouldn't have done that."
"No!" She exclaimed, her eyes widening. "No, you didn't! You came here, and comforted me, and you've been there all those times..." She fell back into his arms. "Thank you so much, Kiba. I can't imagine what I would have done if you hadn't come here tonight."
"Hinata..." When she looked back up at him, there was an unexplainable passion in his eyes, one of true love and trust, as he held her tightly. "I love you." She looked at him disbelievingly, but it lasted only a second, as Kiba leaned down towards her. His eyes asked one question, one that she never even imagined answering. She barely nodded as he moved in closer. She could feel his warm breath on her face, and her heart began to beat faster. He tightened his arms around her waist as he closed his eyes, pressing his lips to hers. Her lips were so warm and soft; just as he had always dreamed of. He felt her kiss back, even stronger than he had, and her arms slipped around him as he pulled her closer.
The moment seemed to last forever, until they both collapsed onto the grass, Kiba on top of the timid Hyuuga heir. The two of them took a long, deep breath, exhausted from the exhileration of the moment. Kiba's jacket slid off his shoulders, baring his tanned, muscular arms.
"Kiba..." Hinata breathed. "I love you too." Kiba's eyes widened, but only for a moment as the return of his feelings sunk into his mind. He lowered himself down closer to her, kissing her again, only this time harder, and full of the emotions that he had kept hidden ever since he had first gotten to know her, when they had been assigned to a team together. He had tried so hard to help her become stronger, so she wouldn't have to worry about being too weak to be the successor of the powerful Hyuuga clan. Then, as his feelings began to take control, he had tried everything in his power to get her to fall in love with him. It had finally worked.
Kiba's emotions finally took over his body, pulling him even closer to Hinata. Her arms around his waist as they kissed told him she felt the same way. When they broke apart, he rolled off of her. He couldn't do this with her, not quite yet. He loved her more than words could say, and he couldn't make her think that he only wanted her for her body. The ninja sighed. Love is so difficult. He thought. God, I hate it sometimes.
"I love you, Kiba." Hinata repeated as she sat up, snuggling close to Kiba's side, smiling as they looked up at the stars together. I take it back!! Kiba thought quickly as they sat together, watching the night sky. The stars could never shine brighter than what they would share.